Universal spring coiling machine



Oct. 19, 1937. w. H. BLOUNT 2,096,605

UNIVERSAL SPRING COILING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W/LL/H HBLm/NT m @50 Gum;

UNIVERSAL SPRING COILING MACHINE Filed Jan. 50, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WILL/HM H. BLDL/NT Oct; 19, 1937. w. H. BLOUNT 2,096,505

UNIVERSAL SPRING COILING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 -6 J Fig 5 amen tor,

WILL/HM H. BLUUNT Patented l9, l937 UNITED STATES 2,098,805 UNIVERSAL SPRING COIIJNG William H. Blount, Worcester, Mass.

lnor of one-half to Sleeper & Hartley, Incorporated,

Worcester, chusetts Man, a corporation of Massa- Application January 30, 1937, Serial No. 123,097 14 Claims. (01. 153-05) This invention relates to a universal sprin coiling machine and more particularly to an auto- I matic apparatus for coiling wire into the shape of a helical spring, which may be actuated continuously for forming a, coil of indefinite length or which will form coils of predetermined lengths and sever each completed spring from the wire.

In accordance with the prior patent to Sleeper 1,266,070, a wire coiling mechanism may be operated intermittently by means or a gear segment driving through a ratchet and pawl, which is so arranged that when the segment is moving in one direction the wire is coiled and when moving in the opposite direction the wire feed is stopped and the coil severed from the wire. The length of the wire is limited by the degree of throw of the gear segment; hence, the machine cannot make a coil longer than a given length. If one attempted to operate the machine in such a manner as to prevent the wire cutter from contacting with the wire and the wire is then coiled continuously, it is found that the intermittent operation of the segment and the wire coiling parts produces an indentation in the wire coil at each reversal of motion of the segment. Hence, the machine cannot be operated satisfactorily to produce a continuous coil of wire.

It has also been proposed, in accordance with the patent to Sleeper 1,452,128, to drive the wire coiling mechanism by means of a cam controlled clutch mechanism, which is so arranged that the cam may be disconnected and leave the clutch continuously connected in a driving position so as to coil a piece of wire continuously. n the other hand, this type of machine can make'automatically only such lengths of wire coils as are determined by the mechanisms found on the machine. For any other lengths of wire coil, it is necessary that the operator manually control the machine and determine by observation when to operate the wire cutter and sever the coil spring. This requires considerable care and skill on the part of the operator and is likely to produce coils of nonuniform lengths. Any attempt at substituting r new gears or cams in such a machine, so as to control the length of spring will of course present many diiilculties, such as requiring a large number of substitute parts which may become lost and wasting valuable time in taking out the old gears or cams and trying new ones to determine which will produce a desired length of coil. Hence, such a machine is seriously limited in its uses. It has consequently been necessary to provide three different types of machines for meeting the requirements of a plant which made various shapes oi wire coils, the segment type being best for accuracy of dimensions of short coils, and the two other machines being respectively for continuous coiling and for long lengths cut automatically to size which were beyond the capacity of the segment type machine.

.The object of the present invention is to provide a universal wire coiling machine which meets the needs 01' all three types heretofore used, in which wire may be coiled continuously into a coil or indeterminate length according to the will of the operator, or in which the machine may be so operated as to coil and cut on exact lengths varying from a very short coil to one of an extremely long length, and wherein the machine may be quickly adjusted to vary the length of the wire coil which is thus automatically-produced. Further objects will be apparent in the following disclosure.

A wire coiling machine may be made of the general type shown in said Sleeper patents wherein the wire is forced by positively driven feed rolls against a coiling point and around an arbor which are so adjusted as to determine thediameter of the wire coil. The machine may also comprise adjustable features for controlling the pitch or separation of the coils of wire in the helix, and automatically actuated wire cutters are employed for severing the wire coil from the main line of Wire after the coil has been formed. In accordance with the present invention, I propose to drive the feed rolls and to cut off the coils by means of change speed and cam controlled mechanisms which may be quickly adjusted to produce coilsof any desired length within the requirements of the industry or which may be operated for coiling wire continuously without an automatic operation of the'wire cutter. In this machine cams are provided which are so arranged that each revolution of a given cam controls the operation of its associated mechanism, such as the actuation of the wire cutter and the control of the positions of the diameter controlling point and the pitch determining tool. The operation of any one of these cam controlled mechanisms is determined by the length of time it takes for its particular cam to revolve while the wire is being fed at a continuous rate through the machine. The present invention deals primarily with that cam mechanism and associated parts which control the length of the wire coil, it being understood that the other mechanisms may be set to operate in timed relation therewith.

It is, therefore, a primary feature oi this invention to providechange speed mechanism for 2 the actuating cam which is so constituted that it will give an exceedingly great variation in the speed of the cam shaft and so cause the machine to operate either for a very short time or for a very long time before the cutting mechanism is caused to sever a. given wire coil from the feeding wire. A further feature involves a construc tion which makes it possible to disconnect the cam controlling shaft from the driving mechanism and. to stop the clutch instantaneously to prevent over-running of the wire feed when the coil is to be severed, and this mechanism is so constituted that the wire may be fed continuously while the cam operating mechanism is disconnected for a period of time which is determined by the will of the operator. Further important features involve so constructing the machine that by a simple adjustment of the change speed mechanism, any desired length of wire from, say, inch to 500 or more inches, may be automatically coiled without material loss of time in making the change.

This wire coiling machine may embody the various constructional features of the prior Sleeper patents which are compatible with the invention herein described; but for the sake of simplicity of illustration those features have been omitted from the drawings which relate to the control of the diameter and the pitch of the wire coil. The mechanisms which control these coil dimensions are however associated with the wire cutting and coiling mechanism herein described as is fully set forth in said prior patents. Referring to the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine with parts removed for the sake of clarity and the base broken away to show the variable speed driving mechanism therein;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper half of the wire coiling machine, with parts broken away or in dotted outline to show the driving mechanism which feeds the wire;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the change speed gear mechanism in a straight line projection;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the arrangement of the gears;

Fig. 5 is a vertical elevation, on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, with other parts removed, which shows the clutch and brake mechanism for stopping the wire feed and the cam mechanism for operating the wire cutter;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical elevation on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 with the frame work and other parts removed which shows the cam operated cutter mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken on the line l! of Fig. 5 showing the wedge which operates the brake band;

Fig. 8 is a. sectional detail on the line 8-8 of Figs. 5 and '7 showing the braking mechanism;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a portion of the left hand side of the machine shown in Fig. 2, with parts removed, showing the locking plate for the change speed controls; and

Fig. 10 is a detail showing the planetary gear system of Fig. 3 in an operative position.

That part of the construction which deals with the coiling of the wire, as shown primarily in Fig. 2, may be constructed as described in the Sleeper Patent 1,266,070. As illustrated, the machine comprises two sets of wire driving rolls l and I2 which have grooved peripheral faces adapted to grip a wire fed therebetween and to force that wire into contact with the coiling tool.

The wire may be guided through a passage formed between two guide plates l3 so as to prevent the wire from buckling under the feeding pressure of the rolls. This wire is forced to pass over or under the arbor l4 and against a coiling point l5. This coiling point consists of a steel member having a grooved face so shaped, as described in the prior patent, that when the wire is forced thereagainst it will be bent into a coil whose radius is determined by the distance of the coiling point I from the arbor l4. This control of the diameter of the coil is effected by mounting the coiling point IS on the slide l6 which may be moved to a desired position by a mechanism including an arm l1 riding in a groove in the side of the slide l6, which may be operated, if desired, in timed relation with the cam controlled mechanism hereinafter described.

Cooperating with the arbor I4 is a pair of cutters 20 which are adjustably and removably mounted on a pair of radially swinging heads 2| so that either one may be forced to cut the wire close to the arbor. These heads 2| are in turn mounted upon shafts 22 (Fig. 6) adapted to be rotated about their axes by a cam mechanism when the feeding rollers have been stopped in their forward movement of the wire. These two shafts 22 are connected together by rock arms 23 and a link 24 so that the cutter heads will be operated together. A further rock arm 25 on the lower shaft 22 is connected by a turn buckle 2B and associated screw threaded parts to a lever 21 pivotally mounted on a. suitable support. This lever has a roll member 28 pivotally mounted on the lever 21, which is struck by the revolving cam 30, so that it will be periodically thrust downward against the restraining force of a coiled spring 3| fastened to the base and to the rock arm 25 or other suitable part of the mechanism. By this construction, the wire cutter will be held in an inoperative position except when thrust forward into the wire under the force imparted thereto by the cam 30 and the lever operated thereby. Only one cutter will be used depending upon whether the wire is being coiled above or below the arbor M, as will be understood.

The wire feeding rolls [0 and I2 are arranged to be driven at variable and controlled speeds from a suitable outside source of power, such as an electric motor 32 mounted in the bottom of the machine. In order to obtain a. variable speed control for the feed rollers and the cam mechanism, the motor may be connected by a belt to a variable speed mechanism of the type of a Reeves variable speed transmission, which is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This transmission comprises a set of cone shaped driving plates 33 slidably keyed on the shaft 34 which is driven through a belt connection from the electric motor. Another set of cone shaped plates 35 are likewise slidably keyed on a further shaft 36. A V-belt 31 rides with its side faces on the two sets of cone plates and.

serves to transmit power from the shaft 34 to the shaft 31. By means of a hand wheel 38 and shaft 39 threaded as right and left hand screws to move the sleeves 40 towards and from each other,v the two levers ll pivotally mounted on stationary supports 42 may be caused through intermediate sleeves 43 and suitable connections to move the two sets of plates towards and from each other.-

so that the upper set will be close together and cause the V-belt to ride high and the other set far apart, or vice versa, and thus give a variable gagemen't, and the gear 55 will drive the wire speed driveto, the shaft 55 from the constant sli ed shaft 55.

By means of a suitable belt or chain power may be taken to a sprocket wheel 55 on the shaft 45 in the upper part of the machine. .This shaft 55 also has a hand wheel 51 thereon, so that the ma ne may be manually adjusted as desired. A small gear 58 (Fig. 1) on the shaft 55 meshes with the larger gear 55 (Fig. 2) on a short jack shaft 58 which in turn drives a smaller gear on the same shaft 58. The small gear 5I in turn meshes with a large gear 52 on a clutch controlled shaft 55. A clutch 55 suitably operated by hand may be employed to connect or disconnect the driven gear 55 from the shaft 55, so as to start and stop the wire coiling and cutting mechanism. and standard constructions may be employed for the purpose.

It will be understood that these various shafts are suitably mounted on the supporting framework of the machine such as the end wall 55 and an inner wall 55 which cooperates with another end wall 51 for carrying the change speed mechanism. The clutch shaft 58 which is mounted on the walls 55 and 55 has a gear 58 freely rotatable thereon and connectable with the shaft through a clutch. The gear 58 meshes with a gear 5| fixed on a further shaft 52 carrying the lower right hand driving roll I2 keyed thereon (Fig. 2). This shaft 82 likewise has a gear 53 (Fig. 1) connected therewith and meshing with a gear 55 on a further shaft 55, which has splined on its outer end the right hand roller I8 (Fig. 2). The gear 58 also meshes with a further gear 55 fixed on the shaft 61 (Fig. 2) carrying the left hand lower,

driving roll I2; and the shaft 51 has a gear (not shown) which connects with a gear on the shaft 58 (Fig. 2) and thus drives the upper left hand driving roll I8 thereon. By this arrangement, all of the wire feeding rolls will be driven by the clutch controlled power mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, a cam operated mechanism has been provided which insures that the wire feeding movement will stop quickly and accurately just prior to the moment when the cam 38 is about to operate the lever system and cause the cutter to sever the coil from the wire. For this purpose. a. clutch I8 of suitable construction is arranged to control the connection of the driving gear 58 with the drive shaft 53. This clutch may be of the multiple disk type but for the sake of simplicity of illustration, it has been shown as comprising a barrel I2 slidably keyed to the shaft 53 and provided with teeth on one end which engage suitably shaped teeth on the end of the drum 14, which is freely rotatable on the shaft 53 and is connected through an extension sleeve I5 with the gear 58. A yoke 11 is freely mounted in a groove in the clutch barrel so as to permit rotation of the latter within the yoke, and the yoke carries pins 18 which ride within the yoke arm 19 on the end of the lever 88. This lever is pivotally mounted on a suitable support 8| in the lower part of the machine so that lateral swinging of the lever will serve to connect or disconnect the clutch.

In order to operate the clutch automatically, the cam shaft 85, which carries the cam 38, has a. further face cam 86 (Fig. 5) which is so shaped as to provide a track having a low part of short but suitable length and a high part along which the roller 88 pivotally mounted on the side of the lever 88, is adapted to ride. Hence, during the major part of each rotation of the cam shaft .85, the lever arm 88 will hold the clutch parts in enfeeding rolls I5 and I2. But when the roller 55 drops down into the low portion of the cam face 55, then the clutch will be disengaged by the operation of the spring 85 suitably connected for the purpose between the lever and a part of the machine frame. The cam 38 and the cam 55 are so shaped and located on the shaft 55 that the high spot of the cam 38 will operate the-cutter Just after the roller 88 has dropped into the low part of the face cam 85 and the cutting operation will have been completed before the roller 55 travels up onto the high part of the face cam. It'will be appreciated that each of these cams may be of the adjustable type whereby the length of time of effective operation or the nature thereof may be suitably adjusted.

It is desirable, in accordance with this invention, to prevent over-running of the wire feeding rolls and to stop them substantially instantaneously when the clutch parts are disconnected. For this purpose, I provide a brake band which is adapted to be thrown into engagement with the drum I4 when the clutch is thrown. This brake band may comprise, as shown in Fig. 8, two semicylindrical or arcuate members 92 and 93 which may be lined, if desired, with suitable material for gripping the outer cylindrical face of the drum I4. These two parts of the brake band are supported on a. rod 94 bolted on the frame work of the machine, and they are impelled towards the drum surface by means of a spring 95 surrounding a guiding bolt 95 which passes through the projecting parallel ends 91 of each of the brake members. These two ends 91 are faced with blocks 98 which. as shown in Fig. 7. are each beveled at one side so as to form a wedge shaped open ng within which a wedge I88 may be forced to spread the brake members apart and to prevent their frictionally engaging the drum I4. This wedge I88 is formed as a nose on a clamp having two arms I82 adapted to be bolted into a. fixed engagement with the lever 88, as shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 7. This wedge clamp is so located on the lever 88 that when the clutch is disengaged. the wedge I88 will be moved from contact with the blocks 98; but when the clutch teeth are brought into engagement, the wedge I88 will be thrust between these parts 98 and force them outwardly and so move the brakeband out of frictional engagement with the drum. It willthus be seen that as soon as the roller 88 drops into the low part of the face cam 85, then the wedge I88 will be drawn outwardly from the wedge shaped opening formed by the blocks 98 and so allow the spring 95 to clamp the brake tightly on the drum and cause the wire driving rolls I8 and I2 to be stopped.

It will now be appreciated that the length of wire in a given coil will be determined by two factors, the rate of wire feed and the time during whch the cams 38 and 85 make a complete revolution. By means of the Reeves" variable speed transmission above described the rate of movement of all of the mach ne elements will be varied proportionately. That is, as the wire is fed more rapidly through the machine, the cams will likewise revolve more rapidly and the production of the machine will be increased.

In order to vary the speed ratio between the wire feeding rollers and the cams, I have provided, as a primary feature of this invention, a special change speed mechanism which makes it possible to'cut automatically substantially all of the different lengths of wire coil which will be required by the industry. This mechanism serves to change the timing relationship of the wire coiling rolls and the cams, which stop the feeding movement and cause the cutting off of the wire coil. It is to be understood that the other mechanisms shown in the prior Sleeper patents which determine the diameter and the pitch of the coil-will be operated by suitable cams, preferably mounted on the same cam shaft 85, and controlled in synchronism with the cams 30 and 86. A description thereof is not required for an understanding of this invention, since the features herein claimed which serve to control the relationship of the wire feeding and the wire cutting will likewise control the other. operations in timed relation therewith.

In the preferred embodiment, I preferably utilize a planetary gear system to give an extremely slow motion and a set of selective change speed gears for intermediate or high speeds, which may be used together and with a setof change gears to give a series of speeds which vary only by small increments and so make it possible to make all desired lengths of coils.

The preferred form of speed change transmission is shown in a straight line projection in Fig. 3 which illustrates all of the gears required for the purpose except the change gears which are to be found adjacent the hand wheel 41 as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Referring now to Fig. 3, as well as Figs. 1, 4, and 10, it will be noted that the drive shaft 53 which carries the gear 60 connected to rotate the wire driving rolls I0 and I2, passes through the intermediate partition 56 and has a further gear I I0.keyed to its end. This gear meshes with a gear III keyed to a shaft H2 which is mounted on the partitions 56 and 51 by means of suitable bearings I I3. It is to be understood that all of the various shafts are suitably mounted in bearings supported on the frame work of the machine, as indicated in outline in the various parts of the drawings. Keyed on the shaft H2 is a set of gears of gradually increasing sizes in a cone-like arrangement. Thesegears vary in size from the smallest gear H4 to the largest gear H5 by gradual steps so as to give a desired speed variation.

Any one of the gears H4 to I I5 may be selected for operative connection with the cam shaft by means of a pair of rock gears which are so mounted that either one of them may be connected with any one of the gears from I I4 to H5. As shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, the small gear H6 and the larger gear H8 are mounted for rotation on appropriate short shafts carried on end bearings which are fixed on the V-shaped support comprising the two plates H8 and I20. These plates are provided with centrally located bearings members I22 and I23 which permit them to rock freely on the shaft I25 which in turn is suitably mounted for rotation on the'partitions 56 and 51. Slidably keyed to the shaft I25 is a sleeve shaped to provide a small gear I26 which meshes with the gear H8, and keyed on the sleeve of the gear I26 is a further and larger gear I21 which meshes with the gear H6. It will, therefore, be appreciated that if the small gear H6 is meshed with any one of the gears from H4 to H5, then it will transmit a reduced rate of rotation to the shaft I25 through the larger gear I21. If, on the other hand, the comparatively large gear I I8, which meshes with the small gear I26, is in contact with one of the selective gears H4 to H5 then a much higher as and 4a 1 speed will be transmitted to the shaft I25. Hence, by using various combinations of the nine gears in the cone arrangement and the two gears of the rock gear system, one may secure l8 different speeds.

For the purpose of moving the rock gears to their proper positions and holding them there, any suitable mechanism may be employed; but as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 9 this may comprise a handle bar which projects outwardly from a cross member between the two plates H0 and I20. This bar I30 passes through a plate I3I on the machine wall which is cut away as indicated in Fig. 9 so as to provide a series of recesses I32 within which the bar 30 may be moved and held in a stationary position. Two series of holes I33 are formed in the plate I3 I, and these are arranged to be engaged by one of two plunger pins I36 (Fig. 4) which may be moved by one of two handles I31 suitably pivoted on the bar I30. When one of the pins I36 is inserted in one of the holes I33, the bar I30 is held in a suitable slot I32 and one of the rock gears is in mesh with a given gear of the cone series. The upper slots I32 and holes I33 are for use in holding the larger gear H8 to mesh with any one of the cone arranged gears, while the lower series are for rocking the smaller gear H6 into a corresponding meshing arrangement.

Keyed on the far end of the shaft I25 is a further gear I40 meshing with a gear I4I on a short jack shaft I42 which in turn meshes with a small gear I43 keyed on a long shaft I45 mounted for rotation in suitable bearings on the frame members 56 and 51. Three other gears I46, I41 and I48 are likewise keyed on the shaft I45 in such locations that they will serve selectively either for a direct connection with the cam shaft 85 or the employment of a planetary slow motion gear system- The cam shaft 85 passes through bearings in the machine plate 56 and its outer end is supported in further bearings on the wall 51. This shaft 85 carries a gear I50 connected thereto which is so shaped and arranged that it may be brought into mesh with the large gear I48 on the shaft I45 and thus serve as a direct and high speed drive from the shaft I45 to the cam shaft. It will be noted that the gear I50 is mounted on the cam shaft by means of an intermediate sleeve I5I which is slidably keyed on the shaft. The gear I50 is keyed directly to this sleeve. A further large gear I 52 is keyed to the sleeve I5I and this gear is of such a size and location that it may be brought into mesh with the gear I41 fixed on the rotatable shaft I 45. When any one gear on the shaft I45 meshes with a gear on the shaft 85, then, of course, the other gears are not in driving engagement. By means of these two sets of gears a slow motion or a higher speed motion may be transmitted from the shaft I45 to the cam shaft 85.

For the purpose of obtaining a very slow speed motion I employ a planetary gear system, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 3, and 10, which comprises a stationary gear I55 which is bolted to the casing I56 carrying the bearings for the rotatable shaft 85, and the latter is rotatable within the gear I55. A freely rotatablegear I58 is so mounted on the shaft 85 that it may be moved longitudinally into meshing engagement with the gear I46 keyed on the shaft I45. This gear I 58 is preferably mounted on a set of ball bearings I60, the inner raceway of which is suitably supported on the sleeve I5I as illustrated.

This sleeve has a shoulder formed as a further small gear I62 which is of the same diameter as the gear I55. This gear I62 will therefore hold the ball hearings in place and insure proper positioning of the gear I58. Two small gears I64 and I65 are suitably mounted for rotation on the short shafts I66 and I61 which are in turn supported on the side of the gear plate I58. The locations and sizes of the parts are such that when the gear I58 is moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 10, to engage the-gear I46 on the upper shaft I45, then the gears I64 and I65 will likewise mesh with the stationary gear I55 as well as the gear I62. There is, however, a difference in the number of teeth on the two gears I55. and I62 whereby the gear I62 has one more tooth than has the gear I55 so as to cause a planetary motion of the gears I64 and I65. That is, when the gear I46 rotates the gear I58 it carries the gears I64 and I65 around the axis of the, shaft 85 and these small gears are caused to rotate on their axes by the stationary gear I55. But owing to the fact that the gear I62 has one more tooth than has the stationary gear I55 it will be advanced by that one tooth for each complete rotation of the gear I58 and thus will rotate the shaft 85 by the distance represented by that one tooth on the gear I62, thus transmitting a very slow motion from the driving gear I46 to the cam shaft.

For the purpose of shifting the planetary gear system from a neutral position into the various arrangements above described, a shifting arm I10 (Figs. 3 and 4) is suitably connected to a sleeve l1! slidably interposed between the gears I 50 and I52. The shift arm I10 passes outwardly through a slot I12 in the plate I13 (Fig. 9) and is provided with a handle I14 of the type above described so that the shift arm may be moved in the slot and locked in position by means of the pins I16 engaging any one of the holes I 11 in the plate, as will be understood.

.As a further means for changing the relative speeds of the wire coiling and cutting-off mechanism, the gears 48 and 49 (Figs. 1 and 2) may be so arranged that these gears may be easily replaced by other sets of gears having the required dimensions to give two or more changes of speed between the driving shaft 46 and the driven jack shaft 50. Thus by means of these various speed changesystems it is possible for one to drive the cam shaft either at a high rate of speed which insures cutting off a very short coil of wire or at an extremely slow speed which will permit several hundred inches of wire to be fashioned into a coil before the cutters will operate.

The operation of this machine will be obvious from the above disclosure. Depending upon the size of the wire and other working conditions, the variable speed transmission in the base of the machine may be set to feed the wire at a desired rate. This may be further varied by replacing the gears 49 and 48 (Fig. 2) by another pair of gears of a desired speed ratio. For example, these gears may have a ratio of 18 to 52, or 35 to 35, or 52 to 18; and the two sets of gears required for these ratios will serve in combination with the rest of the change speed mech-' anism to give all required cam speeds. Having selected the required feed roll speed, then the diiferent sets of selective gear systems may be suitably adjusted to give the required cam speeds. For example, with a drive gear ratio of 18 to 52 for the two gears 48 and 48, one may obtain a wire feed of 12 feet per minute by properly 5 adjusting the Reeves transmission. Then, the other combinations of the gears 48 and 49 will serve to give 35 and 100 feet per minute of wire feed. By shifting the speed control lever I into the slot I of Fig. 9 and thereby meshing the small gear II6 with the largest gear 5' lower lever I 10 in posiand by so locating the tion I (Fig. 9) that gear I48 meshes with gear I58, the cam shaft may be revolved at 115 R. P. M., and this will give a'wire feed of about 0.75 inch before the cutter operates to sever a coil from the wire. The speed of the cam shaft may now be successively decreased by selectively moving the selector gear I I6 from one gear to another in the cone series until position No. II (Fig. 9) has been reached and this will coil a wire of approximately 2.5 inches length. If the drive gears 48 and 49 are now exchanged for gears of equal numbers of teeth, then the speed of the cam shaft may be further decreased while the selector gear 6 is successively meshed with the remaining gears in positions I2 to I8 of handle I30. The next slower speed is obtained by shifting the lever I10 to the intermediate position No. 2 to bring the gears I41 and I52 into mesh, while the upper lever I30 is in position No. I. If the gears 49 and 48 are again changed to the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 to provide the gear ratio of 52 to 18, then as the hand control lever I80 is shifted again through the series of numbers I to I8 represented in Fig. 9, a still further reduction in cam speed is serially obtained. Then finally, the planetary gear system may be brought into operation by connecting gears I46 and I58 and the cam speed may be again varied through a gradually decreasing series by again moving the lever I80 various positions of I' to I8. The final slowest speed represented by position I8 when the planetary gear system is in play will give a cam shaft speed of 1.6 R. P. M. or a wire coil feed of approximately 500 inches before the cutter operates to sever the coil. It is to be understood that the drawings are diagrammatic and not dimensional in their showing and that these numerical examples will, of course, depend upon having the gears of required suitabie'sizes and ratios and that these examples are given merely by way of illustration of the adaptability of the machine. i

When it is desired to operate the machine continuously and make a coil of indeterminate length, then it is merely necessary to move the lower speed control handle I10 to the position represented by the letter N in Fig. 9, which thus disconnects all of the gears of the lower selective planetary gear system from operative association with the cam shaft 85. The cam shaft is rotated manually by hand wheel 41 to a. position in which 'the cam roller 88 engages the high surface of the cam 86 and thus holds the clutch engaged and the brake released. Then when the cam shaft is disconnected from the selective gear systems, the machine will operate continuously and produce a coil for as long as the wire is fed to the feed rollers. If desired, a clutch may be interposed in the shaft 85' or in any of the variable speed mechanism, which will also serve to disconnect the power drive from the cams. Other equivalent mechanisms may, of course, be employed.

It will also be understoodthat the gears 48 and 48 may be replaced by another change speed system of the type of any above described, but the construction illustrated is the preferred form cam to cause the cutter because of the simplicity of the mechanism involved. The speed changes, except for the comparatively simple operation of changing gears 48 and 49, are all accomplished by the quick shifting of manually operated levers. By means of tables of wire lengths, cam speeds and lever positions it is possible for the operator to change the machine without delay to get any wire coil length that is desired. If desired, one may use an adjustable cam for throwing the clutch so asto give a finer adjustment than permissible with the construction illustrated. Moreover, the cutter cam may be so shaped as to consume the minimum of time for the cutting operation and the machine may then be operated with maximum efliciency, whereas the original segment type of machine required a waste of about half of the time during which no coiling took place while the segment was returning for a further operative stroke.

The requirements of this type of machine are peculiar, in that coils of all lengths of very small increments of variation are required, but by the special arrangement of gear systems herein described, which will comprise suitable ratios of gear teeth as will be understood by one skilled in the art, one may make substantially all coil lengths required in the industry. It is also to be understood that one may vary the construction of the variable speed mechanisms materially by substituting equivalent change speed mechanisms for the ones herein illustrated and described. For example, a transmission drive of the type shown in the base of the machine may be employed in place of any orall of theselective gear systems for giving a wide variation in speeds. Also, variable speed friction drives are adapted for this cam speed control. It is, however, preferred to employ the construction.illustrated because of its extreme accuracy and ability to duplicate wire coil lengths without variation. However, numerous modifications may be made as above indicated. without departing from the scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and protectable by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire coiling machine comprising a wire coiling device, a clutch controlled driving mechanism, including positively driven feed rolls, for feeding wire to said device and causing it to be coiled thereby, means including a movably mounted wire cutter to sever the wire, a continuously operating, cam controlled mechanism including a cam to operate the clutch and intermittently stop the wire feeding operation of the feed rolls and a to sever a coil from the stationary wire, and manually controlled, power driven, variable speed mechanism connected to operate the cam mechanism at a selected rate, whose ratio relative to that of the feed rolls may be widely varied.

2. A wire coiling machine comprising a wire coiling device, mechanism including a clutch and feed rolls for feeding wire to said device and causing it to form a coil of indeterminate length, means including a movably mounted cutter to sever a coil from the wire, two cams rotated in timed relationship, means operated by one cam to disconnect the clutch and cause the wire feed to stop, means operated by the other cam to cause the cutter to sever a coil from the stationary wire, power driven, variable speed mechanism to rotate said cams at a selected rate, the ratio of which to that of the feed rolls may be widely varied, and

a manually operated device for selecting any desired speed ratio.

3. A wire coiling machine of the type covered by claim 1 in which the variable speed mechanism comprises a selective gear system and means associated therewith which can be manually shifted to give speed changes of small increments of variation and thereby produce a series of wire coils of different lengths.

4. A wire coiling machine of the type covered by claim 1 in which the variable speed mechanism comprises a plurality of sets of selective gears and selector gears arranged to be connected operatively in various combinations which will give required lengths of wire coils of small increments of variation from a short coil to one of great length and separate manually operable means for quickly connecting the gears in each set as desired.

5. A wire coiling machine of the type covered by claim 2 in which the variable speed mechanism comprises a slow motion planetary gear system for producing exceedingly slow speeds, a second system including a set of selective gears of different sizes and a selector gear associated therewith for giving a series of higher speeds and means for selectively connecting one or both of said systems to the cam mechanism for driving the cams at a desired speed.

6. A wire coiling machine of the type covered by claim 2 in which the variable speed mechanism for driving the cams comprises a planetary gear system arranged to give a very slow motion, a selective gear system having sets of selective gears and selector gears adapted to give a wide range of speeds, and means for tary gear system and employing only the selective gear system or for selectively connecting a desired combination of gears in the selective gear system with the planetary system so as to provide a wide variation of speeds for the cams.

7. A wire coiling machine of the type covered by claim 1 comprising a variable speed driving mechanism which serves to drive both the feed rolls and the cams in an invariable timed relationship but at a desired variable speed.

8. A wire coiling machine comprising a wire coiling device including feed rolls for moving the wire and causing it to form a coil of indeterminate length, a variable speed power driving mechanism, means including a clutch which connects said mechanism to operate the feed rolls, an automatically actuated rotatable cam to throw the clutch and stop the wire feed, a wire cutter, means including a second cam rotated in timed relation with the first cam which serves to operate the cutter and sever the wire when the feed rolls are stationary, and a variable speed mechanism driven by said power driving mechanism and including a manually operated speed selective device which is arranged to rotate the cams at a widely variable but definite speed and thereby cause the wire to be coiled into predetermined lengths and severed at a definite but variable rate.

9. A wire coiling machine comprising a wire coiling device, a power driving mechanism including a clutch and rolls for feeding wire to the coiling device and causing it to form continuously a coil of indeterminate length, means including a movably mounted wire cutter to sever the wire, cam controlled mechanism to cause the cutter to operateintermittently, a cam mechanism operating in timed relation with the cutter controlling cam to disconnect said clutch when a predetermined length of wire has been coiled and just prior to the operation of the cutter, and a disconnecting the plane- 0 brake associated therewith to stop the movemen of the wire as soon as the'clutch is thrown.

10. A machine of the type covered by claim 8 which comprises a releasable brake associated with the wire feed mechanism and means actuated in timed relation with the clutch which causes the brake to stop the wire feed at once after the clutch has been disconnected.

11. A machine of the type covered by claim 2 comprising a releasable spring pressed brake associated with and tending to stop the clutch controlled wire feeding mechanism, a device to hold the brake released and means operated by the clutch actuating cam which moves the brake holding device to cause operation of the brake when the wire is to be severed.

12. A machine of the type covered by claim 2,

- comprising means for disconnecting the variable speed mechanism from the-cams which control the clutch and the wire cutter and thereby preventing intermittent operation thereof and causing a continuous wire coiling operation,

13. A wire coiling machine comprising'a wire coiling device, mechanism to feed the wire to said device, and cause the same to be coiled continuously, a clutch to control said mechanism, means including a rotatable cam to operate the clutch, a wire cutter, means including a rotatable cam to operate said cutter, in timed relation with the clutch, a variable speed mechanism connectable to rotate the cams at a selected predeter- -mined rate, and cause wire coils of predetermined lengths to be formed and severed from the wire, a manually operable device for selectively connecting the cams with said variable speed mechanism or disconnecting the same, and manually operable means for so positioning the clutch control cam as to hold the clutch permanently connected so that wire may be coiled continuously.

14. A wire coiling machine comprising a variable speed power driven mechanism, a wire coiling device, means including a clutch driven by said mechanism and feed rolls to feed wire to said device and cause the wire to be coiled continuously at-a. controlled rate, means including a rotatable cam for operating the clutch, a wire cutter arranged to sever a coil from the wire, means including a cam rotated in synchronism with the clutch cam which serves to operate the cutter when the clutch is disconnected, a change speed mechanism driven by said power mechanism, a manually operable selective device for connecting the change speed mechanism to rotate the cams at a predetermined but variable speed, means for disconnecting the power connection from the change speed mechanism to the cams and a manually operable device for setting the clutch cam in. a. position which insures that the clutch will stay connected when the cutter cam is not operated so that wire may be coiled continuously for an indefinite time.

WILIIAM H. BLOUN'I'. 

